HISTORY

HISTORY OF ST. ANTHONY GRAMMAR SCHOOL

ORIGIN

It was the Golden Jubilee anniversary of Most Pure Heart of Mary Catholic Church, Esure, that the idea of building a school as part of the celebration was conceived in 1954 by the Parish priest, Fr. John K. Aggey. To mark this important event, it was decided that a Grammar school for boys be established in the parish. The Archbishop of Lagos Leo H. Taylor readily gave its approval and the Archbishop himself was present for the formal launching of the school on the 19th December 1954. In essence the school was founded by the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos.

PROCESS

There was a need to also obtain the approval of the Regional Government. The opportunity came when in October, 1954, the Premier of Western Region, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, visited Esure. Among the proposal presented to him by Fr. Aggey was the permission to establish a Grammar school. Because the Action Group Government was favourable towards education, the approval was given on the spot.

There came the problem of finding a Principal since the Parish priest Rev. Fr. Aggey couldn’t combine the assiduous work of Parish with many outstations and school. The Archbishop appointed a young Priest who held double honours in Music and Education from Cork University, Ireland to head the school. On his reluctance to come, he was told that the school would be named after him. That was how the school became known as St. Anthony’s Grammar School to honour its first Principal Rev. Father Anthony Saliu Sanusi.

TAKE OFF

When Fr. Anthony Sanusi was to report at Esure, Archbishop Leo H. Taylor gave him one hundred pounds, (Two hundred naira) to start the school. He arrived at Esure in 1954 and the first set of thirty-three students resumed on 2nd February 1955. They were housed in the house of Mr. Francis, Dolu Benco, while the buildings of St. Peter Claver’s School served as classrooms. They did not move to the permanent site until February, 1956. In 1970 the Federal Government took over mission schools including St. Anthony Grammar School. The past principals of the school before the take over by government were all Priests including:

Rev. Fr. Anthony Sanusi (1954-1962)

Rev. Fr. R. Hales (1962-1966)

Rev. Fr. P.J.Carroll (1966-1969).

The school has since 1978 become co-educational and it has expanded its curriculum which includes not just Arts subjects but also Science, Technical subjects and Information Technology. The Federal Government policy on the Universal Basic Education has thus splitted the school in September, 2005 into Senior and Junior with Mrs. M.A. Adegunwa as the first Principal of the Senior school and Mr. Gbenga Oduselu for the Junior school.

In 2010, the Catholic Mission returned to the school when different State Governments were facilitating the return of schools to their original owners. St. Anthony Grammar School now has a Private section as a temporary solution to the co-existence of the two stakeholders. However, they remain one indivisible and united whole called “SANTOS”

St. Anthony Grammar School has churned out men and women of caliber, captains of industries all over the world which is a testament to the Catholic brand of education.

Other Principals that have administered the school are the following:

PUBLIC SECTIONPRIVATE SECTION
NAMEYEARNAMEYEAR
Mr. J. A. Adebambo1969-1975Sr. Anthonia Akin-Oyekan2010-2011
Mr. V. B. Igun1975-1978Fr. E.O. Matuluko2011-2018
Mr. F.A. Igbodipe1978-1988Fr. Jude Okafor2018-2021
Mr. A. A. Adeyemi1989-1991Fr. John Aruleba2021-2023
Mr. P. A. Shoga1992-1995Fr. Anthony Adetayo2023-????
Rev. D. O. Fatade1995-1999  
Mr. F. O. Buraimo1999-2005  
Mr. M. A. Adegunwa2005-2009  
Mrs. R. O. Olutogun2009-2011  
Mrs. O. A. Olusanya2012-2015  
Mr. J. O. Adegoroye2015-2019  
Mr. O. O. Olugbewesa2020-2021  
Mrs. K. A. Oredipe2021-2024